Chair



Aug. 24,1937. 7 A. P, BALL 2,091,063

CHAIR Filed Jan. 2, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet l A TTORNEYS.

Aug. 24, 1937. P, BALL 2,091,063

CHAIR Filed Jan. 2, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. filial? 7, E422.

ATTORNEYS.

.Patented Aug. 24, 1937 PATENT- OFFICE Albert P. Ball, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Briggs Manufacturing Company, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application January2, 1934, Serial No. 704,871

Claims.

This invention relates particularly to a flexible chair formed of tubular stock, an object of the invention being to provide an improved chair of this type having a seat cushion adjustable on 5 the tubular chair frame and also a back cushion which is adjustable relative to the frame and in conjunction with the seat.

It is another object of the invention to provide a tubular chair which is of durable yet light construction, which is ornamental in appearance and economical to manufacture, and in which the improved construction provides a maximum degree of comfort to the occupant.

Other objects of this invention will appear in the following description and appended claims,

reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views.

Fig. l is a view in perspective of a chair embodying the invention. r

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the chair shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevation showing 25 the detail of the seat locking mechanism.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3 in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 55 of Fig. 2 in the direction of the arrows. 30 Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on line 66 of Fig. 5 in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken on line of Fig. 2 in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken on line 3-8 35 of Fig. '7 in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 9 is .a sectional view taken on line 99 of Fig. 2 in the direction of the arrows.

-Before explaining in detail the present invention it is to be understood that the invention is 40 not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the-accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. 5 Also it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation, and it is not intended to limit the invention claimed herein beyond the requirements of the prior art. 50 A chair embodying my invention shown in Fig.

1 consists of a seat A, a back B, and frame members C and D. The frame member C is formed of a single length of tubular stock and is bent to provide a back frame portion and a seat 55 supporting portion 2| which extends forwardly therefrom. The frame member D is formed likewise of a single length of tubular stock and is bent to provide a U-shaped floor engaging portion 23, upwardly extending leg portions 24, and

arm rest portions to which are secured arm 5 rest pads 26. The ends of the frame member C are united to the frame member D at 2'! by welding or in any other suitable manner, and the frame member D is joined-to the frame member C at 28 as by welding or other suitable means. The frame members C and D thus form the chair framein which the seat A and the back B are secured in such a manner as to permit movement and adjustment of the seat and back relative thereto.

The seat A (Fig. 3) is provided with a relatively rigid base frame 30 formed of wood or other suitable material on which the spring structure and other upholstery materials (not shown) are mounted. The base member 30 and the springs are covered by fabric or other covering material 3| to form the seat cushion A. Along each edge of the seat adjacent the tubular seat supporting portions 2| of the frame member C a seat supporting rail 32 is secured as by screws or similar means 33. The seat supporting rail 32, as shown in Fig. 4, is preferably in the form of an angle bar having a horizontal flange 32a which contacts with the base member 30 of the cushion and a depending flange 32b which extends downwardly at substantially right angles to the portion 32a and is provided with a plurality of longitudinally extending slots 34 (Fig. 2)'. A plurality of seat supporting studs or rollers -35 are "secured to the tubular portions 35 2| through the medium of supporting pins 35a projecting into the tubes, the rollers being mounted to travel in the guideways or slots 34 in the member 32. A retaining washer 36 is placed on. the outer end. of each pin 35a and is held in position by a cotter pin 31. In this manner it will be seen that the seat is slidingly supported at each side on the studs or rollers 35 which are confined within the guideways or slots 34 in the seat' side rails, the construction permitting the seat A to be moved longitudinally relative to the seat supporting portions 2| of the frame C, the amount of this movement being limited by the lengths of the slots 34.

A spring pressed locking lever 40 is pivotally mounted ona bracket 4| secured to one of the seat supporting members 2|. A plurality of notches 42 are cut in the lower edge of the flange 32b and the lever 4|] is offset to provide an inwardly projecting latch portion 40a adapted to cooperate with any one-of the notches 42 to lock the seat A in any desired adjusted position. A spring 43 abuts against the handle 40b of the looking lever 40 and is maintained in operative position by a guide pin 43a secured to. the handle 4% and slidable through a hole in the tubular member 2|.

The back B is formed as an upholstered cushion which has a metal frame portion 50 to which is secured a back trim panel 5| and side trim fabric or the like 52. This cushion may be of spring construction and upholstered in any desired manner. On each vertical side of the frame 50 is welded or otherwise secured an angle bar 5 53 having a projecting stud 54, these studs providing pivots located above the center of the back to unbalance the same when hung on the back frame. Adjacent the point of extension of each stud 54 on each side of the back B a socket 55 20 is secured to the back frame 20 as by welding. These sockets 55 (Fig. 8) are adapted to receive the extending studs 54 and permit pivotal movement of the back cushion on the frame 20. Each socket has a slot 55a to permit insertion or with- 25 drawal of the stud when assembling or detaching the back.

The back B and the seat A are operatively connected as shown in Figs. 5 and 6 so that pivotal movement of the back B relative to the frame 30 20 is controlled by movement of. the seat A relative to the frame 2!, and the locking of the seat A as above described also locks the back B against movement relative to the frame 20. The connection between the seat A and the back B is provided by an angle member 60 which is secured to the base 30 of the seat A. The member 60 is provided with a flange 60a which is secured to the base 30 of the seat A and an upright portion 60b terminating in a flange 60c extending at 40 substantially right angles to the portion 60b. An

opening 60d is provided in the portion 60c. Secured to the frame 50 of the back B is a pin 6| which extends downwardly below the lower edge of the back B and is slidably received in the open- 45 ing BM in the member 60. Thus any forward or rearward sliding movement of the seat A relative to the frame C is transmitted to the pin 6| and through it to the back B in such a manner that the back B pivots relative to the, frame 20.

50 Each arm 25 is provided with an arm rest pad 26 which, as shown in Fig. 9, is secured to a saddle shaped base member 260. which may be stamped from sheet metal to provide a central longitudinal channel embracing the upper part of the tube 25. 55 An arcuate block 26b is welded to the upper curved face of the channel portion and is tapped to receive the threaded end of a clamping screw 10. It is to be noted that the opening or slot 601) of the seat angle member 60 is sufficiently larger 60 than the pin or stud 6| to permit rocking or tilting movement of the pin relative to the socket, thus providing, in effect, a floating connection between the parts. This permits the seat A to slide forwardly or rearwardly in a rectilinear direction relative to the frame portions 2| while the back B can rock orswing about its supporting pivots relatively to the seat to which ,it is connected.

I claim: 1. In a chair, a main frame formed of metal tubing shaped to provide a floor engaging portion, upstanding leg portions, a seat supporting frame comprising spaced horizontal members and a back frame comprising spaced upright members, a seat 75 cushion comprising a base frame having spaced.v

horizontal angle members provided with depending flanges extending along the. inner faces of the tubular seat supporting frame members and substantially concealed thereby, said depending flanges having elongated slots and said seat supporting frame members having pins projecting into the slots for supporting the seat cushion for limited sliding movement fore and aft, a back cushion interposed between said upright back frame members and pivoted thereto at points intermediate the upper and lower ends of'the back cushion, and an articulated connection between the rear end of the seat cushion and the lower end of the back cushion.

2. In a chair, a main frame formed of metal tubing shaped to provide a floor engaging portion, upstanding leg portions, a seat supporting frame comprising spaced horizontal members and aback frame comprising spaced upright members, a seat cushion comprising a base frame having spaced horizontal angle members provided with depending flanges extending along the inner faces of the tubular seat supporting frame members and substantially concealed thereby, said depending flanges having elongated slots and said seat supporting frame members having pins projecting into the slots for supporting the seat cushion for limited sliding movement fore and aft, a back cushion removably interposed between said upright back frame members and 'pivoted thereto at points intermediate the upper and lower ends of the back cushion and above the center thereof, and an articulated connection between the rear end of the seat cushion and the lower end of the back cushion effective to cause tilting of the back cushion upon sliding movement of the seat cush- 3. In a chair, a main frame formed of metal tubing shaped to provide a floor engaging portion, upstanding leg portions, a seat supporting frame comprising spaced horizontal members and a back frame comprising spaced upright members, a seat cushion comprising a base frame having spaced horizontal angle members provided with depending flanges extending along the inner faces of the tubular seat supporting frame members' and substantially concealed thereby,

saiddepending flanges having elongated slots and said seat supporting frame members having pins projecting into the slots for supporting the seat cushion for limited sliding movement fore and aft, releasable latch means carried by one of the tubular seat supporting frame members cooperable with notches on an adjacent flange for locking the seat cushion in adjusted position, a back cushion interposed between said upright back frame members and pivoted thereto at points intermediate the upper and lower ends of the back cushion, and an'articulated connection between the rear end of the seat cushion and the lower end of the back cushion.

4. In a chair, a main frame formed of metal tubing shaped to provide a seat supporting frame spaced from the floor and comprising spaced horizontal tubular portions, said main frame also comprising a back frame composed ofspaced upright frame members, a seat cushion comprising a pair of angle members along the bottom side edges thereof having depending flange portions extending along the inner faces of said tubular seat supporting frame portions, said flange portions and tubular frame portions having cooperating pin and elongated slot connections effective to support the seat cushion on the seat supporting frame for limited longitudinal adjustment, a back cushion having an articulated connection with the seat cushion, said back cushion being removably interposed between said upright frame members and pivoted thereto to 5 swing about an intermediate axis nearer the upper end of the back cushion than the lower end. 5. In a chair, a main frame formed of metal tubing shaped to provide a seat supporting frame spaced from the floor and comprising spaced hor- 10 izontal tubular portions, said main frame also comprising a\back frame composed of spaced upright frame members, a seat cushion comprising a pair of angle members along the bottom side edges thereof having depending flange por- 15 tions extending along the inner faces of said tubular seat supporting frame portions, said flange portions and tubular frame portions having cooperating pin and elongated slot connections effective to support the seat cushion on the seat supporting frame for limited longitudinal adjustment, a back cushion having an articulated connection with the seat cushion, said back cushion being removably interposed between said upright frame members and pivoted thereto to swing about an intermediate axisnearer the upper end of the back cushion than the lower end, and latch means between certain of said flange and tubular frame portions releasable to permit limited sliding movement of the seat cushion fore and aft and swinging movement of the back cushionby the application alone of force directly to either or both of said cushions.

ALBERT P. BALL. 

